The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-30

= from strata said to be p.
from permeation OF the sur.
water Of the basins Of the reruls
system. Each system Il wells cor
sists Of 100 two inch tubes, drivel
from forty to 100 feet into the ground
in two rows, fifteen feet apart, tn
tubes in either row being twelve fee
apart. The head, or pressure raise
the water 10 the tubes to uniform
hight, sufficiently near tho surface
that it may be drawn from then
simultaneously by suction to a con
Meeting horizontal pipe, and it il
pumped and delivered directly to tn,
supply main. Excepting as to III
hardness and slight trace of lime, Il
is not unlike the surfaces water collect
ed in the drainage grounds from
which Brooklyn takes its principal
supply. The daily average consump
ton OF the city In 1884 (efficisl report
Jsnua y 70, 1SS5) was 1887, 034 gal.
lone, Of which $500 600 were supplied
from the wells.
The driven wells at Jackson, Tenn,
lately described in q report TO the
State Board CT Health, in response to
inquiries propounded by the writer,
are not unlike those OF Brooklyn,
though differing from them in Ger.
tain particulars. These wells are
twenty-five in number, elk inches in
diameter and thirty-two feet in depth.
The supply now taken from them is
100000 gallons per day, but q theoreti.
Ca yield OF 5000, 0C0 gallons in twenty.
four hours is coDjeciured. The water
Is pumped from the wells and col
leeted in an embsnkment basis sur
rounding them, from which it is
sgsin pumped for delivery TO the con.
sumner. The deposit from which the
water is taken, fifteen feet beioW the sur.
face, Is constituted of coarse sand and
whit gravel, Mixed" on which il IL
said, an impermeable stratum of blue
clay ia supsrimposed. The location
Of the wells is beyond the present
area OF contamination OF the town.
the geological conditions repre-
sented in these two instances do not
exist near Memphis, as far as has
been discovered in the course of
these Investigations. II Is not I'M
likely that ground water may, e
certain seasons, be found in the allu-
vial deposit lying between the Miss 8.
sippi river north and wet of Wolf
river, extending east to Haze river
nearly to the foothills, but the whole
of tlat territory is periodically over
flowed by the Mississippi, is malarisl
and exposed 10 decomposing vegetable
substances. Certain depressed areas
may be found some distance from the
city free from these objections, but il
is not probable; indeed II Is wholly
improbable, that q sufficient supply
can be obtained from the ground water
deposits OF this locality, and II obtain.
able at all, there would be no economy
in the plan, which would involve the
same expensive structures that were
provided for in the old system.
TOO much Importance cannot be
attached to these general conditions,
and every practit able means should
be employed to acquire sknowledge OF
the geological area before any costly
scheme is undertaken for attempting
to obtain public supply from sub.
terraneous sources, 1t has already
been,shown that we do not possess
the required knowledge; but, iras-
much as several deep wells have been
recently bored within the city limits,
which may be called non-nowing ar.
tesian welle, an investigation OF them
was made with view to gathering in
formation that might bear on the
question.
"The wells bored in Memphis vary
in depth, from 1874 to 322 feet; in d.
ameter OF bore, from A 70 9 inches;
water level from the surface, 80 to liz
feet, when the pumps are not in opera
ton, except rs TO the Natatorum well. |
The wells OF the Tennessee Brewery
(one), Bohlen, Huse 4 90. (three in
use), and the Valley Ice Company
(fouT), examined on the same day,
October 2S, 1856, were found, by |
calculations made at the time with The
assistance OF Mr.. W. j. MCDermott, NJ.
e., IN yield respectively, 1890 (one), |
75,068 (three), and $500 (iour) gal |
Ions in twenty.f four hours. The depth |
OF thess wells il 1870 feet. Tho water
is highly charged with iron, shows a
trace OF sulphur and is unfit for do
nestle use. The stratum fIom which
it is derived, composed OF very fine
drift and soms ten feet in depth, the
lower portion being too COM
pActed to admit OF free percolation, is
supplied from water shed
OF limited area, the convergent flow
passing through deposits constituted
chiefly OF ferruPinous gravel. The
supply yielded has been observed to
be greatest during the rainy seasons.
The yield, in dry seasons, Of the three
Bohlen-Hus wells is only l0per cent.
greater than that Of the one we'll, $50
feet higher up. The variation Of the
yield Is enormously attributed to the
Mississi ppi river; but as the solids
held in separation are being constantly
preeipitatsd, and 80 compact the bed |
of the river as to Telard utilization,
and as the flow OF the ground water is
toward the depressed bed, 1t Is rea.
sonable to suppose that thGsvariation
is alone due to the draught on the
and the varying quantity Of
rainfall.
"No satisfactory data could be OBJ
tanned from which to determine the
character OF the geological formations
through which these wells were sunk,
except in 80 far as they indicated them
TO be the result OF the subsistence OF
waters which at one time overspread
this valley. Notes made by Mr.. J. b.
Cook, architect, at the time OF the Dor
ing OF the Natatoslum well, confirm
this view.
"When the well Il the Natatorium
WAS opened the water rose in the tube
to about tWonty-four feet from the sur
face Of the ground, Indicating coHsid-
cradle bydroetltic pressure; but con-
sidering the fact that the joints of the
tube were not close fitting at first, al
loWance is 10 be male for infiltration
of the ground water through the In
terstices, and as pumping was not con.
tinuous, the real water level cannot
be determined. Moreover, when
deem seated reservoir is first tapped 1t
il found lip full, as it were; as its
contents are drawn upon, the level
will fall in proportion as the drAught is
grea or than the rainfall which sup